Iowa Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott to serve as Democratic whip – Iowa Capital Dispatch

Iowa Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott will take over from retiring Sen. Amanda Ragan as Democratic whip within the Iowa Senate, Democrats introduced Friday.

Trone Garriott of West Des Moines gained reelection in opposition to former Senate President Jake Chapman, representing Senate District 14. Whereas Democrats misplaced floor and stay the minority in each chambers, Trone Garriott’s race was a shiny spot for the social gathering within the 2022 midterms.

The senator mentioned Friday that Democrats will proceed opposing Republican objectives on points like schooling and social justice.

“Iowa voters didn’t give Republicans a mandate to promote out the center class, wreck public colleges, and strip away fundamental rights,” Trone Garriott mentioned in a information launch. “Senate Democrats will stand as much as Republican overreach and provides Iowa households a voice in our authorities.”

Sen. Zach Wahls will serve a second time period as Democratic chief, the Senate Democrats introduced. He thanked his social gathering for the reelection, and mentioned Democrats are dedicated to “defending financial alternative and basic rights” within the state Senate.

“Republican politicians, in the meantime, are providing the identical previous excessive and unfair agenda rewarding huge companies over center class households and attacking Iowans’ private freedom,” Wahls mentioned within the information launch.

Sens. Nate Boulton of Des Moines, Pam Jochum of Dubuque and Herman Quirmbach of Ames had been reelected as assistant leaders for the upcoming session, joined by Sen. Eric Giddens of Cedar Falls.

Within the Home, Minority Chief Jennifer Konfrst and Minority Whip Lindsay James had been reelected to their positions. The leaders emphasised their dedication to the social gathering’s “folks over politics” agenda revealed in September, which features a focus on legalizing marijuana, defending abortion entry and public college funding, and decreasing prices of residing.

“Whereas the election outcomes had been robust this yr, we perceive Iowans are fed up with politics and we’re going to remain centered on the problems necessary to them,” Konfrst mentioned in a information launch. “We’ve obtained 15 new members this yr who’re robust neighborhood leaders bringing new views and expertise to the Iowa Legislature. We’re able to get to work.”